A Surprise From Mexico?
by baileybeagle
Summary: A mysterious girl no older then tweleve shows up at NCIS to see, Gibbs. Who is she? She looks so much like a little girl that Gibbs has known years ago, but that was impossible...right?
1. Hope, Welcome To The United States

**NCIS:**

**A SUPRISE FROM...MEXICO**

**Disclaimer: NCIS and characters from the show do not belong to me.**

**Summary: A mysterious girl no older then 12 shows up at NCIS to see, Gibbs. She looks so much like a little girl Gibbs once knew, but that's impossible...right? Who is the mysterious girl?**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I would like to thank CALLEN37 for helping to fix the misteaks in my stories.**

**CHAPTER 1: Welcome To The United States, Hope**

**MEXICO...**

Twelve year old, Hope Edna had heard stories from her mother (Kelly) all her life:

How she (Kelly) had been born in the United States...  
Spent the first eight years of her life there and had at least some happy memories, before being captured...  
Then how the grandmother (or Kelly's mom) that Hope had never met had been captured and held in a prison like room...  
How when Hope's grandmother had put up a fight to save her mother...she had been shot and killed...

Hope had been born a little less then nine months later. Weeks earlier then she should have and almost didn't survive, but some how Hope had survived.

Now Hope and her mother had finally escaped...it was the first time in all her life that Hope had ever been outside; there was a gunshot and Hope spun around.

"Mama!" Hope yelled. "Go! Find, Leroy Gib..." Her mother gave a gasp and then she went still.

Hope wanted to run back to her mother, but knew it was too late. Her mother was dead and she had to run.

Hope had remembered the stories her mother told her and remembered that her mother's father was a Marine. Hope's mother and grandmother had lived with him in Washington D.C. That's where Hope had to go now. That's where she hoped she would find Leroy Gibbs...her grandfather.

She set off at a dead run and ran as fast as she could. Fear of being captured and what would happen if she were, kept her going.

**AT LEAST A DAY LATER...**

Hope was exhausted, hungry and very thirsty. She didn't know how long she had been going now, but she finally came to a stop when she felt like she could go on no more.

She saw a car coming down the road and felt fear. The same fear she had felt when she had started to run,

'The people who held her captive! They had found her!'

She hid the best she could, but as the car got closer, she couldn't believe her eyes, because the people in the car looked like...Americans!

She wondered though if she could trust them, she really hoped she could. She explained that she needed to get home to Washington D.C. not telling them the whole story...just enough so that the couple agreed to help her.

The couple introduced themselves as Billie and Ted Cooper. Though it might be hard to get her out of Mexico...they said they would try. Hope climbed into the car and hid beneath blankets and luggage. However, she tried to keep her ears open and stay alert, as she had done for as long as she could remember...

She must have fallen asleep, because she jerked awake to someone gently shaking her. It was only Billie and Billie had a kind smile on her face.

"We're in the United States of America. You fell asleep before I could give you anything." Billie said as Hope looked at what Billie was holding out to her...

A bottle of water, a bag of chips and a sandwich.

"Th-thank you." Hope said taking the food and water...she began to eat.

After a few minutes, Billie spoke up again...

"You said you needed to get to Washington D.C.?" Billie asked and Hope swallowed her mouthful of food.

"Yes, I have to find my Grandfather, Leroy Gibbs." Hope replied.

"We made it across the border a few hours ago. We should be at an airport in a little while and then we'll take a plane to Washington. After we get you there Ted and I will help you find your grandfather, before we head home." Billie told her and Hope a lump in throat at the same time she fought the tears.

She wondered why this couple would help a total stranger and not ask too many questions.

"Wh-why are you helping me?" Hope asked at last as she tried to swallow the lump in her throat.

"Because you need help and it's what we do." Billie told her and before Hope could ask another question, Ted walked up.

"Ready to go? We still have about an hour and a half drive to the airport and we should make it just in time to board the plane." Ted told them.

So with Ted in the driver's seat and Billie in the front passengers seat...Ted started the car and they began the drive to the airport.

Hope was nervous and scared about meeting a man she had heard so much about her whole life. He was the only family she had now...her mother was dead and her grandmother was killed months before she was born.


	2. Meeting Grandpa Gibbs

**NCIS:**

**A SUPRISE FROM...MEXICO**

**Disclaimer: NCIS and characters from the show do not belong to me.**

**Summary: A mysterious girl no older then 12 shows up at NCIS to see, Gibbs. She looks so much like a little girl Gibbs once knew, but that's impossible...right? Who is the mysterious girl?**

**CHAPTER 2: Meeting Grandpa Gibbs...**

**HOPE'S P.O.V.  
A MOTEL IN WASHINGTON D.C.**

After getting to Washington, Billie insisted that the two of us go shopping, so I could get some clothes and a few other things I would need.

While Billie and I went shopping, Ted found a motel where we could stay.

It had not been long ago now that they had gotten back to the motel after having dinner.

I was still having a hard time trying to understand why Billie and Ted were helping me.

They had told me the only thing they wanted in return was for me to find my grandpa.

I had finally gotten to take a shower, now I was cleaner and felt even more exhausted if that was possible.

I would start my search for Grandpa Gibbs tomorrow.

I felt the tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat once more as I pulled out a picture that mom had gave me a few years ago.

It was a picture of three people...

A man that mom had pointed out as my grandpa, Leroy Gibbs. The man I would soon be meeting.

The little girl in the picture no older then eight...my mom, Kelly.

Then finally, a women standing with them, Shannon Gibbs...my grandma that I never got to meet.

My grandma and my mom were dead; they would want me to be strong...

I, Hope Edna am not weak!

After everything that's happened in the last few days...now, I'm not so sure anymore.

I had lost my mother and the only person who had ever taken care of me.

I just can't be strong anymore and it was at that thought I felt the tears start to fall.

Exhausted from running and from everything that had happened, it was getting harder to stay awake.

I felt my eyes finally closing; I could hear Ted and Billie talking in soft voices.

I have to admit that I have never felt safe in her whole life, but now for the first time in the twelve years...with the two strangers. I don't know I just feel safe and with that last thought...

**THE MOTEL...  
THE NEXT MORNING...**

I woke up and looked at the clock...eight o'clock in the morning. Looking around I noticed was, Billie and Ted Cooper were nowhere to be seen. For some reason I began to panic, until I saw a note beside the clock.

_Hope,_

_You may not believe this, but Ted and I were sent to help you._

_We have found Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs at NCIS and I am sure he is the one you are searching for; here is the address for NCIS and the money for a cab that will take you there._

_I wish you the best of luck and hope you will find happiness._

_Welcome to your new home in the United States of America!_

I was confused and read the note several times. There was no way Ted and Billie could have been...Angels? That just wasn't possible.

After digging in my backpack, I pulled out a different set of clothes, a new outfit.

A pair of jeans, tennis shoes, a light blue jacket and a t-shirt with the American flag on it. I got dressed, pulled out the brush to run through my hair. The last thing was to brush my teeth and then I was ready.

I put everything back into my backpack and after grabbing the money from where it had been sitting beside the clock...

I called for a cab to take me to NCIS. Just the thought of going to NCIS was making me so nervous...I felt like I was going to be sick

A few minutes later, the cab arrived and I gave the driver the address for NCIS.

"NCIS? Who are you going to see?" The driver asked as he pulled up the gates, but I had lost my voice.

**NCIS HEADQUATERS...**

I walked into the NCIS building and almost at once wanted to leave, but I had come this far. I couldn't turn back now...I had to keep going no matter what.

I walked over to the Agent behind a desk and told him whom I needed to see.

After a few minutes, someone came to escort me to where I needed to go. After I realized I was being led to the elevators and I again had the feeling of wanting to turn...to run the other way.

I really hate small spaces...

The elevator doors closed and I felt trapped.

It seemed forever before the elevator doors opened again and I was led into a room with lots of desk.

As we exited the elevator, I heard someone say it was the squad room.

**NCIS SQUADROOM...**

Two desks on one side and two desks on another in area.

"Come on, McGeek. Everyone knows..." The one who sat at the desk I was standing besides continued talking. "Enough, Tony. I've told you before and you know that Abby..." The other man answered.

"Can we help you?" It a women sitting at the other desk I was standing beside and the question seemed to get the attention of the two men..

It seemed once again that I couldn't talk. It took me sever times of opening and closing my mouth before my voice returned.

"I-I..." I stuttered, but felt the same lump in my throat that I had felt so many times over the last few days.

I also felt the tears in her eyes and tried to force them back, because I did not want to cry in front of these strangers.

"What's...?" Came a voice from behind me and I jumped almost falling, but the man who had spoken caught me before I fell.

I couldn't believe who it was...

It was, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, my grandpa and the man I had come to see. With the help of Billie and Ted, I had actually found him.

"Wh..." He seemed shocked just looking at me.

I did the only thing I could think of and pulled out the picture my mother had managed to hide for years, before finally giving it to me. I just held it out to him and he looked at me, before turning his eyes to the picture.

It was hard to read his face, but the emotions passed over his face so quick.

"Bo..." The one that had been called Tony began. "My n-name is Hope Edna Gibbs." I stated.

I saw the look of shock on the faces of Tony, the women at the other desk across from him and knew if I looked behind me, that I would see the same look on the face of the other man as well.

"Ho...wh..." Grandpa began and couldn't seem to form the words he was thinking. "Hey, boss, you sound like, McGoo." Tony joked with a smile and Hope couldn't believe it when Grandpa Gibbs reached over and smacked the back of Tony's head.

"Shutting up, boss." Tony said. "We esc...escaped and started to run. We were run-running and th-they shot my mom...she told me that I had to run...that I had to find you and then she..." I couldn't say the last word as I finally let go of the tears and they began to fall.

Falling harder then they had in the days since it had happened.

That's when it hit me...my mother is really dead!

"McGee, get Ducky up here now!" I heard grandpa yell, and then I was being led between the desk...to the only empty desk in the area.

I fell into the chair...sobbing harder then I have ever sobbed in my life. Because now I was scared, confused and still so tired.

My grandma Gibbs had been killed months before I was born...  
My mother was shot and killed just a little over two days ago...almost three days ago now.

What was going to happen to me now? Why do I have to keep losing my family?

I could tell that this man...my grandpa wanted answers, but they are answers I can't give right now.

Then he asked me the one question that I could answer with a nod...

"Was your mother's name, Kelly?" He asked and I just nodded.

"Boss, I thought you said..." I looked up at grandpa as glared over at Tony. "It's going to be okay." I heard grandpa say. "Sh-she's de...dead. A fe-few days ago." I still crying and then felt grandpa pull me into a hug.

I realized that I felt safe again and knew more questions would come later. Questions I just couldn't answer right now and then I returned the hug.

As he held me in his arms...I just could not quit sobbing. I sobbed for the loss of my mother and a grandmother I never knew.

From what sounded far away, I heard a ding and knew it was another elevator.

"Jethro..." Came a voice and grandpa pulled back to look behind him. "Gibbs..." a women's voice came from just behind the older man who had spoke to grandpa.

I noticed the women wore a spiked dog collar tattoos and pigtails. Everyone seemed to be staring at me and I was beginning to wish that they would stop.

"Who do we have here?" It was the man who grandpa had asked Tony to call up.

"Duck, this is Hope Gibbs...she's Kelly's daughter." Grandpa said and I could have sworn for just a second that I saw tears in his eyes, but maybe I imagined it.

"You mean..." Ducky began. "Yup, she's my granddaughter." Grandpa replied and I saw a smile this time.

"Hey, I didn't know if you were hungry...so I brought you something to eat." Came the voice of the women who had been the first to talk to me.

It reminded of yesterday when Billie had woken me up.

Did that really happen just yesterday?

"Gibbs, I thou..." The women with the spiked dog collar began. "Abs..." Said the man who Tony had called McGeek.

On the other hand, was it McGoo? Mc...something.

Abby looked at him and though no words were spoken between the two...she seemed to know what he was saying.

"I'm Abby and this is..." Abby began pointing to the man beside her. "McGeek!" Tony yelled.

I couldn't help, but laugh and I smiled.

Then I realized this was the first real smile in a few days, since I lost my mother and maybe the first real smile in my entire life.

"DiNozzo!" Grandpa yelled. "This is, Tim." Abby finished still pointing to the man beside her. "I'm very Special Age..." Tony began. "Fired! If you don't get back to work!" Grandpa informed him. "I'm Ziva and that's Tony." Ziva told me.

I then looked around at each face, connecting names with faces.

"Is everything that all you own?" Grandpa asked pointing to my bag that had made its way to the floor beside his desk and I just nodded.

"Yes, I had help getting it last night. The people who helped me...when I woke up this morning at the Motel...they were gone." I told him.

Looking into his face, I could see he had a far away look in his eyes and knew what he was thinking about.

Because of except for the fact my hair is darker; I looked a lot like my mom. A few years ago...

My mom told me the reason behind my name. Because my mom had given up hope and a reason to go on, until she found out about me. I gave my mom a reason to go on.

**I GAVE HER HOPE!**


	3. Still Tired And Falling Asleep At NCIS

**NCIS:**

**A SUPRISE FROM...MEXICO**

**Disclaimer: NCIS and characters from the show do not belong to me.**

**Summary: A mysterious girl no older then 12 shows up at NCIS to see, Gibbs. She looks so much like a little girl Gibbs once knew, but that's impossible...right? Who is the mysterious girl?**

**CHAPTER 3: STILL TIRED AND FALLING ASLEEP AT NCIS...**

**NCIS SQUADROOM...**

**HOPE'S P.O.V.**

I was doing it again...falling asleep. Exhaustion was taking over and I knew I wouldn't be able to keep my eyes open much longer.

"Come on." Grandpa said helping me to my feet. "I will check on her later, Jethro. Right now, it looks as though young Hope just needs some sleep." Ducky's voice sounded far way, though he wasn't standing that far away.

I let my grandpa lead me and then I felt the panic again when I realized where we were.

It was another elevator...another small space. The reason I hated small places is the room I was held in my whole life, until just a few days ago.

It was not just me and grandpa in the elevator though. Through my tired eyes, I also saw Ducky, Abby and Tim.

At last, the doors opened and we were walking down a hall.

**ABBY'S LAB...**

"Hope, we're in Abby's lab and she's going to let you lay down in her office, okay?" Grandpa asked and all I could do was nod.

I laid down on a sleeping bag, my eyes barely open now. I saw the only people here were grandpa, Abby and Tim. I covered up and thought for a second I saw a smile on grandpa's face.

Maybe I just imagined it though, because I don't think I've seen him smile since I arrived. That was the last thing I saw and when Grandpa said something it sound further away...

"If anything happens let me know." Came grandpa's voice.

**HOURS LATER...**

I don't know how long I have been asleep and at first when I looked around...I didn't know where I was. I knew though, it was not the small room I had been held captive in for most of my life.

Then I remembered meeting grandpa, but I had been so tired and everything else is just kind of a blur.

I got to my feet and stopped just before I walked into the lab area. Abby and Tim obviously didn't know I was awake or standing there. I decided to stay quiet for a minute.

"So, Tony thinks there's something going on between you and I again?" Abby asked.

"Yeah, I tried to tell him that was a long time ago." Tim said and I noticed that he sounded somewhat sad.

"What's wrong, Timmy?" Abby asked.

"Nothing, it's just...have you ever thought about..." It seemed like Tim couldn't find the words to finish what he was saying.

"What?" Abby asked.

"Never mind." Tim told her.

I remembered Tony picking on Tim in the squad room earlier. What Tim's response had been and even then, you could hear the same sort of sadness in his voice if you really listened. Tim really loved Abby...

Could she even see that?

I decided it was a good time to let them know I was there.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." I said and they looked at me in surprise.

"It's okay. I can talk to Tim later. How do you feel?" Abby asked glancing over at Tim, before looking back at me.

It was then I realized how hungry I actually was. Even though Ziva had gotten me the bag of chips and soda earlier, I had, at the time been too tired to even eat it. I hadn't eaten since...

'When? I can't remember the last time I ate. Maybe it was dinner last night, but I don't really remember eating much then.'

"A little hungry and confused." I finally admitted as my stomach chose that moment to growl.

Everything that had happened in the last few days. A lot of it seemed to be a blur...

Escaping with my mother from where we had been held captive...  
My mother being shot...  
Running...  
Getting new clothes and other things, I could carry in a backpack...  
Dinner...  
The motel...

Looking at the clock, I realized it was 2:45 in the afternoon. Which meant that I had gotten her about almost 9 this morning and it wasn't long after that, I laid down in Abby's office and fell asleep again.

I was still trying to think of everything that had happened.

"What?" I asked, realizing that Abby had said something.

"I'll ask Gibbs if Tim and I can take you to lunch, okay?" Abby asked.

"All right." I agreed, watching as she and Tim got up from in front of the computer they were sitting at.

Then the three of us walked out of the lab and I realized again with dread that we were headed back for the elevator. I knew in time I might have to get over my fear, but I just couldn't do it right now.

"Do you want to take the stairs instead?" Abby asked and I realized what I was feeling must have shown on my face. "Yeah..." I said.

Therefore, the three of us made our way up the stairs and a few minutes later entered the Squad room.

**SQUAD ROOM...**

"Hey, Gibbs. Tim and I are going to take Hope to lunch." Abby said as she approached grandpa's desk, with Tim and I just behind her.

Grandpa looked up; I saw Tony and Ziva look up as well.

"Hey, Probie, did you ever..." Tony began.

"DiNozzo..." Grandpa began and out of the corner of my I saw Tim send a glare at Tony.

"Getting back to work, boss." Tony said and looked back at his computer screen.

There was no way that Tony was really working though and anyone could see it. Because he typed something, then Ziva looked at him and typed something back.

All my life I had been a quick learner and well...you had to be to survive. It was easy to remember things and sometimes if I thought hard enough I could remember details that...many other people would miss.

"Hope?" Came grandpa's voice and I came out of my thoughts.

Looking around I noticed that grandpa, Tony, Ziva, Tim and Abby were all staring at me. I knew that grandpa had probably been trying to get my attention for at least a minute.

"I'm ready." I said leaning down to grab my backpack from where it was still sitting beside grandpa's desk.

Then after grandpa handed me some money...

Tim, Abby and I left for lunch.


	4. Lunch, Questions, Rules And The Disaster

**NCIS:**

**A SUPRISE FROM...MEXICO**

**Disclaimer: NCIS and characters from the show do not belong to me.**

**Summary: A mysterious girl no older then 12 shows up at NCIS to see, Gibbs. She looks so much like a little girl Gibbs once knew, but that's impossible...right? Who is the mysterious girl?**

**CHAPTER 4: Lunch, Questions, Rules And The Disaster...**

**THE CAFE...**

**ABBY'S P.O.V.**

I sat down beside Tim and Hope sat down across from us. She looked around at the exits and seemed very alert.

After a minute, she picked up the menu and looked at it.

"I-I can't decide. It all looks so...good." Hope said.

I looked over at Tim and had a feeling that he had been looking at me a second ago. He looked deep in thought and I wanted to talk to him...

I kept thinking back to the conversation we had been having in my lab, before Hope had let us know she was there.

"To bad they don't serve Caf-P..." I began and this brought Tim out of his thoughts.

"I don't think Gibbs would be to happy if you got Hope hooked on Caf- Pows." Tim said and Hope looked confused while I laughed.

"I know, Tim. I just wanted to make sure you were with us and not thinking of something else." I replied.

"Do you two usually joke like that when you're about to eat? I'm twelve, but I can read between the lines you know. Wait, that guy in the squad room...Tony?" Hope asked.

"Yeah, that was Tony. He's always picking on, Tim." I answered; still a little shocked at what she said about 'reading between the lines'. "He was saying something when I showed up...it was...never mind. Sor..." Hope began.

"Rule 6: Never apologize. It's a sign of weakness." Tim said and didn't seem to think about it and I smacked the back of his head.

"Who made up that rule and how many are there?" Hope asked and I wanted to laugh again. "Gib...Your grandpa came up with that rule and fifty others." I informed her and a look of sadness crossed Hope's face.

"I think mo-mom may have mentioned something about rules like...I'll be right back." Hope whispered, before getting up and heading to the bathroom.

I looked at Tim before getting up to follow Hope.

When I reached the bathroom, Hope was in front of the sink and throwing water on her face. I saw the tears, before she could try to hide them.

"I wish I could stop crying. It's just every time..." Hope started. "I know, it's going to be hard for a while." I told her and Hope tried to smile. "I'm just curious about something. If you and Tim love each other...what's stopping you from being together?" Hope inquired and I was shocked again.

"Rule 12...which is never date a co-worker. The other reason is I broke up with Tim years ago and I don't think he would give me another chance." I confessed and wondered why I was telling this to a twelve-year-old girl.

Hope is like Gibbs though...

"Rule 12? Grandpa has a rule two people who love each other dating?" Hope questioned and I realized she was interrogating me. "I didn't say that I love, Tim that way anymore." I reminded her. "You don't have to...anyone can see it." Hope retorted with a smirk.

'Yup, just like her grandfather. She was definitely a Gibbs. How is it that Gibbs and Hope never met until today, but they were so much alike?'

"Ready to go eat, before Tim comes looking for us?" I asked wanting to change the subject.

We walked out of the bathroom and started to make our way back to the table, but Hope didn't drop the subject.

"Okay, Tim loves you and if I wouldn't have inter..." Hope began.

"Hope, Tim and I are just best friends...nothing more." I told her.

By this time, we were close to the table and looking at Tim I regretted what I just said, because of the look on Tim's face. I knew Hope was right and that Tim loved me, the truth is...I love Tim to.

I'm just scared. Even though Tim is different from any other guy...that didn't stop me from being scared to be in a serious relationship.

**THE TABLE...**

**TIM'S P.O.V.**

I heard what Abby told Hope and I have to admit that it stung. I wanted to talk to Abby and see if we could start over...as more then friends. Take things slow this time, but hearing what Abby told Hope just now...I guess that I was never meant to have a romantic relationship with, Abby.

"Tim!"

I felt a slap to the back of my head for the second time since we arrived at the cafe.

"Does everyone get smacked on the back of the head like that?" Hope asked.

"Tony most of the time, but sometimes Ziva." I replied.

"You've gotten a few to, Tim." Abby pointed out reminding me of other times I had gotten head slaps.

"I think we better get our lunch and get back to NCIS. We've been gone a..." I began.

"McGee, we haven't been gone that long. If Gibbs does say anything we could always say were giving Hope a tour of D.C." Abby told me and I looked at her.

I loved Abby more then anything and wanted a chance to talk to her, but she had made it clear just by I heard her tell Hope when they got close to the table...there would never be anything between us again.

"Tim!" Abby hit me on the shoulder this time.

"What?" I asked and tried to keep the irritation out of my voice.

"Is something wrong?" Abby asked.

'Like she couldn't figure it out!'

"It's nothing, Abs. I was just thinking." I answered telling her part of the truth.

"McG..." Abby began.

"Forget it, Abby." I shot back and it was at that point the waitress returned to take our orders.

"Tim..." Abby started again, once the waitress was gone.

"I said forget it, Abby. I heard what you told; Hope and I told Tony the same thing." I responded.

"Then look at me and tell me you believe it. You told Tony that there's nothing between us and that's what we've been telling everyone for years...but can you really tell me you believe it?" Abby inquired and I wanted to call her on the fact that she was the one that wanted it that way.

"We can talk about this later. Do you know...?" I began.

"We're in a cafe, Tim. That's where we are, but I don't care where we are and I don't care who hears..." Abby started, but this time it was my turn to interrupt her.

"Maybe I do, Abby! I don't want the world to know what Tony doesn't already tell them!" I declared, before getting up and leaving the table.

I forgot the fact that lunch had just been ordered, I tried to decide what to do. I wanted to go back to NCIS, but I couldn't without Abby and Hope...Gibbs would kill me if I came back without them.

All of this was thanks to Tony and his big mouth, always picking on my love life...or the fact that I had never stopped loving Abby, even if Abby didn't feel the same.


	5. Hope, The Miscief Maker

**NCIS:**

**A SUPRISE FROM...MEXICO**

**Disclaimer: NCIS and characters from the show do not belong to me. **

**Summary: A mysterious girl no older then 12 shows up at NCIS to see, Gibbs. She looks so much like a little girl Gibbs once knew, but that's impossible...right? Who is the msterious girl?**

**CHAPTER 5: Hope, The Mischief Maker**

**OUTSIDE THE CAFE...**

**TIM'S P.O.V.**

I am standing outside the cafe; I came out a few minutes ago to clear my head and just sat down in one of the chairs.

"I think we should take our lunch back to the NCIS and eat there." Abby's voice came from behind, her suggestion similar to the one I had made just a few minutes ago.

I was still mad at her for trying to discuss our personal relationship...

Not only in public, but also because Hope was there.

I got up and the ride back to NCIS was tense between Abby and I.

"This isn't your fault, Hope. It's just..." I began.

"Don't you dare, McGee? You were the one that started this." Abby told me and the rest of the ride was silent.

**NCIS...**

Once we reached NCIS Abby headed straight for her lab and Hope took the stairs to the Squad room. As I stepped off the elevator, Gibbs and Hope entered. There were tears in Hope's eyes and I knew she was going to tell him about what she thought was her fault.

"Hey, McGoo. How was the date with a Gibbs ch...?" Tony began and I was not in the mood for his jokes.

I slammed my bag to the floor and turned to face him.

"You know what, Tony? I wish you would quit making jokes about the relationship that I _HAD_. It's because of you that Hope is in tears, if you hadn't been picking on me..." I started to yell.

"McGee!" I head Gibbs yell and looked over to see him by the elevator, as Hope took a seat at his desk.

Ziva and Tony looked surprised at my outburst, but I was tired of Tony always picking on me. I stomped off toward the elevator and stepped in...Almost dreading what was going to happen. I was surprised when Gibbs didn't say anything, instead he hit the button for Abby's floor and I knew what was coming.

**ABBY'S LAB...**

After a few minutes, we walked into Abby's lab and even though her music was blaring, she was nowhere to be found. Looking around Gibbs and I finally found her in her office.

"I-I don't have anything for you yet, Gibbs. I need to eat first." Abby said, not looking up and sounding sad.

"This has nothing to do with the case, Abs. I think you know that." Gibbs said from beside me and this time Abby did look up, glaring when she saw me.

"What is _HE_doing here?" Abby asked.

"Because Hope told me she tried to play matchmaker at lunch with you two and she came up with a rule of her own..." Gibbs was interrupted.

"Never try to play matchmaker again. I didn't mean to..." Came Hope's voice from the doorway to Abby's lab and we all turned to face her.

"It's not your fault, Hope. You just heard Tony and put the past together." I said sadly and Hope rolled her eyes.

"This is the same thing that was going on at lunch. Hate to tell you, grandpa...rule 12 is really stupid." Hope said and I was a little shocked when Gibbs smiled a little.

"Rule 12 is there for a reason; Hope and these two have been breaking it since the day they met. I think we need to give them a chance to talk." Gibbs said as he walked out of Abby's office, Hope right behind him.

"Timmy...I think Hope set us up and used Gibbs to help her." Abby said with a laugh and I looked at Abby realizing she was right. "Abby, I'm sorry. I just didn't want to discuss..." I began, but Abby interrupted me.

"I know, Tim and I'm sorry that I tried to make you talk about it there." Abby told me.

"Abby, have you ever thought..." I couldn't finish, because I wasn't sure that I could handle the answer if she rejected me.

"Thought about what, Tim? A second chance for us?" Abby inquired.

"Y-yeah." I confessed still afraid, but I had to know the truth.

"I think about it all the time, Tim. But I hurt you so much when I broke up with you the last time and I don't want to lose you as a friend." Abby whispered and I was shocked at her confession.

"Abby...look at me. You will never lose me as a friend. I promise." I stated.

**(ABBY AND TIM ARE IN HER OFFICE)**

**ABBY'S LAB...**

**JUST OUT OF TIM AND ABBY'S VIEW...**

**HOPE'S P.O.V.**

I slipped back into the lab to see if my plan had worked, just in time to see Tim kiss Abby. I felt my grandfather beside me and smiled as another idea came to me...

"Have any other rules? There's rule 6 and rule 12, so what are the others?" I said as I glanced up at my grandpa.

"I'll tell you the other rules later, but rule 12 has never applied to those to." Grandpa said as we walked toward the elevator.

"Do you have a rule for when you're wrong about something?" I asked slyly.

"Yup...Rule 51: Sometimes you're wrong." Grandpa told me.

'Perfect...time for plan B.'

"Hope!" Grandpa yelled as I raced for the stairs and the elevator doors closed around him.

I was just hoping I could beat him to the squad room.

**NCIS SQUADROOM...**

I burst through the doors from the stairs and into the squad room, getting looks from NCIS personnel. I made my way stopping in between Tim's desk and grandpa's desk.

"Ru-rule 51!" I said gasping and slightly out of breath, just as I heard the elevator.

"Hope Edna Gibbs!" Grandpa yelled and I looked over to see him coming from the elevator.

"Ye-yes, grandpa?" I asked innocently.

"Hey, boss, what's rule 51?" Tony asked and I tried to keep the smile off my face.

Grandpa attempted to look stern and glare at me, but I just glared right back. Then Tony and Ziva started laughing at the same time the elevator sounded again. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tim and Abby behind grandpa.

"What's so funny?" Abby asked and then I won the glaring match...because grandpa smiled.

"Hope, just gave Gibbs his own stare right back at him and he..." Tony began, before I walked over and smacked him on the back of the head.

"Be nice to my grandpa, Tony." I advised him, as Ziva started laughing harder and everyone else joined in.

"What on Earth is so funny?" Came Ducky's voice and by now I was laughing so hard there were tears in my eyes. "Hey, Duck." Grandpa greeted. "He-hey, Ducky. Any-anymore laughing g-gas?" I asked as I continued to laugh, Tony joining in now and the other still going.

That was until Tim tried to sit down in his chair, but missed it because he was laughing so hard and hit his head on his desk.

"Timmy!" Abby yelled, but Tim got up and this time sat down in his chair.

"Looks like you had good timing, Duck. Didn't tell us what brought you up here." Grandpa stated as Ducky made sure Tim was okay.

"Well, Jethro, someone called down to Autopsy and said something about your team needing my assistance in the Squad room." Ducky said and grandpa looked at me.

"Let me guess...she just happens to be related to me?" Grandpa inquired.

"Missing something, grandpa?" I asked holding up his cell phone that I had taken off his desk, before I headed down to Abby's lab.

"I think I know three agents that better..." Grandpa began.

"Right, boss." Came Tim's reply.

"On it, Gibbs." Ziva chimed in.

"I'm going to head back to my Labby." Abby informed everyone, before she gave Tim a kiss that made him turn red and Tony got a huge smile on his face.

"Hey, boss...you didn't tell us what rule 51 is." Tony said, but got to work when grandpa glared at him and I reached over again ready to give him another head slap.

I then made my way over to grandpa's desk and after handing him his cell phone, I sat down at his desk. I looked around and then picked up a picture...

The same picture I had given him just hours ago. I looked at it and after a minute put it back, where it had been.

Now the laughing had stopped and as I looked around, I saw the three agents at work.

"Well, Jethro, I must return to Autopsy and resume my work there." Ducky said and then he to left.

**THE END OF THE DAY...**

The last several hours have seemed to drag by, but I'm glad it's the end of the day. When I heard the elevator again, I watched as Abby made her way to Tim's desk then wrap her arms around him from behind and put her chin on his shoulder.

Abby told me she was glad that grandpa and I had set it up to where; she and Tim would have to work things out. Then laughed when I told her about leaving grandpa at the elevator and running to the squad room for the second part of my plan. I never left out a single detail of what happened before her, Tim and Ducky showed up.

Finally, everyone began to shut down their computers and before anyone could step away from their desk...

"Hey, boss..." Tony spoke up. "What, DiNozzo?" Grandpa questioned and I tried not to smile, because anyone could tell what was coming.

"What's rule 51?" Tony asked, repeating the same question he asked just a couple of hours ago.

"Well, rule 52 is I never should have told that one to, Hope." Grandpa stated looking at me.

"All I did was ask." I remarked with an innocent smile.

"Gibbs?" It was Ziva this time and I heard grandpa sigh.

"Hope asked if there was a rule for when you're wrong..." Grandpa began.

"Wrong about what?" Tony questioned.

"Wrong about rule 12..." Grandpa said after a minute. Tony, Ziva, Tim and Abby looked shocked.

Probably shocked at the fact my grandfather was admitting he was wrong about something.

"Rule 12? You wer..." Tony began.

"Yes, DiNozzo. It seems Hope thinks she has to play matchmaker." Grandpa explained.

"So does this mean since Abby and McBoyfriend are now together? That I can date anyone in the office?" Tony asked looking over at Ziva with a smile that no one could miss.

"Come on, Hope, we need to get going. We have a lot to do. Just keep it out of the office!" Grandpa called as we left.


	6. Going Home With Granpa And A Surprise

**NCIS:**

**A SUPRISE FROM...MEXICO**

**Disclaimer: NCIS and characters from the show do not belong to me. **

**Summary: A mysterious girl no older then 12 shows up at NCIS to see, Gibbs. She looks so much like a little girl Gibbs once knew, but that's impossible...right? Who is the msterious girl?**

**CHAPTER 6: Going Home With, Grandpa Gibbs**

**IN THE CAR...**

**HOPE'S P.O.V.**

Grandpa just told me on the way to the car that...he called my Great-Grandma, Joanne Fielding.

Then said if it was all right tomorrow, she could take me shopping to get more clothes. Since he had to work and it might be less embarrassing for a woman to take me shopping.

Abby told me that when she and Tim had been on their way up the squad room, after Grandpa and I left them in the lab...Tim suggested they go on a date tonight. He wouldn't tell her where though, just that it was a surprise.

Just before the elevator doors closed, I heard Tony say to Ziva the two of them should go out for a drink.

Looks like me playing matchmaker worked, even if I did break a rule I came up with...not to play matchmaker again. There's Grandpa's rule 51:

Sometimes you're wrong.

So my new rule and Grandpa's rule 12 were meant to be broken. Because it was obvious how Tim and Abby felt about each other, you could see the same thing between Tony and Ziva.

'Even if Tony and Ziva had been unwilling to admit it.'

I only met the team this morning and I'm already getting to know them pretty well. They all loved how I had gotten my Grandpa to tell them about rule 51. They said that's the most fun work they've ever had at work.

Even Ducky enjoyed my little joke and I heard of Ducky's assistant, Palmer, but I still have yet to meet him.

I sort of got in trouble today, because Grandpa told me that I had distracted the team from what they were there to do...work. When he told me this, I could tell he was trying to hide a smile . I had to point out to him, that I had not only distracted his team, but him to.

I had seen him look at me a few times, but he had a far away look in his eyes. I knew he was thinking about my mom and Grandma.

Several people at NCIS who knew of my grandfather said they had never seen him happy for more then a few minutes at a time...if they had seen him happy at all.

**GIBBS'S HOUSE...**

I was brought out of my thoughts as Grandpa's car came to a stop. I looked up to see a house, there was another car parked by the curb. The women got out, the same time Grandpa and I got out of his car. She stopped when she saw me and I knew who she had to be.

"Joanne, this is Hope Edna Gibbs. Hope this is Joanne Fielding...Great-Grandma." Grandpa said as Joanne walked up to us. "You look so much like, Kelly." Joanne said and I was surprised that I didn't feel tears at the mention of my mother this time.

I smiled and the three of us made our way into Grandpa's house.

**INSIDE GIBBS'S HOUSE...**

Once inside, Grandpa began to make dinner and as we ate, I told Great-Grandma Joanne a little about my life. Leaving out as much of the bad parts as I could. I told her how my mother and I had escaped from where, we had been held captive...

Then with help making my way to NCIS.

After dinner, Grandpa disappeared upstairs and when he came back down, he had some sheets that he said needed to be washed.

Great-Grandma Joanne and I sat in the living room for a long time, as she told me stories about my mama and my Grandma Shannon that I had never heard. As she told the stories, we both started to cry.

"It's getting late and I should go...thank you, Jethro. I'm glad I got to meet you, Hope." Great-Grandma Joanne said after a while and you could still see the tears falling down her face.

"I'm happy I got to meet you to." I said and I think we were all surprised when I gave her a hug, just before she walked out the door.

I made my way upstairs and after grabbing my nightclothes from last night went to take a quick shower.

When I got out, I saw a light on and stopped in the doorway to the room. It had a twin size bed and Grandpa was putting the clean sheets on it. The room looked like it had once belonged to a little girl and I guess it must have been...

"This was Kelly's room, Hope." Grandpa said and it was like he had read my mind.

"M-my mom..." I whispered and he looked at me.

"Do you want to sleep in a different room?" Grandpa asked and I just shook my head.

"No, I haven't been so close to my m-mom in a couple of days. I feel like this would be like her being here." I said and we both shared a look of sadness.

I saw tears in his eyes and knew I had tears in my eyes as well. I knew he was a strong man and that we were both strong people, but when it came to my mom and my Grandma...it was a different story.

Grandpa had lost his wife and daughter. I had lost my Grandma, even if I never knew here and my mama.

I tried to stop a yawn, but couldn't. Therefore, after Grandpa finished making the bed...I lay down and covered up.

"I'll be down in the basement if you need anything." I heard Grandpa say, just before I closed my eyes.

_**DREAM ***_

_**I was back in that room again...I thought I had escaped with my mother a few days ago. I looked over in the corner of the room and to my surprise, I saw my mama.**_

_**I ran over to her...something was wrong though. There was blood all around her and I knew she was dead, but I didn't want to believe it.**_

_**"Mama, wake up! Please, mama...wake up!" I yelled and there was a cold laugh from the other side of the room.**_

_**I looked up to see one of the men who held me captive step out of the dark shadows. He started to make his way across the room...he was making his way toward me.**_

_**I tried to run, but my back was against the wall. He pulled me away and pushed me to the floor of the room...**_

_*** END DREAM**_

"Mama!" I yelled, sitting up and looking around.

It had only been another nightmare and I began to cry again.

My mama was dead and I wanted her to be here with me now more then ever.

Grandpa must have been upstairs, because he was in the room it seemed only seconds after I yelled for my mama.

"Hope?" Grandpa asked as he made his way over to my bed.

"I-I wa-was there aga-again ma-mama was dea-dead and th-then he th-threw me to the flo-floor." I sobbed and almost couldn't breathe, because I was crying so hard.

I felt Grandpa pull me into a hug.

"Hope, it's going to be okay. You're safe now and I won't let anything happen to you. I'll be here no matter what..." Grandpa reassured me.

For a while Grandpa just held me and I had a feeling...I was going to get much sleep tonight after a dream like that.

Eventually though I felt my eyes growing heavy and tried to fight it. I tried to stay awake, but after a few moments...


	7. The Shopping Mall Disaster

**NCIS:**

**A SUPRISE FROM...MEXICO**

**Disclaimer: NCIS and characters from the show do not belong to me. **

**Summary: A mysterious girl no older then 12 shows up at NCIS to see, Gibbs. She looks so much like a little girl Gibbs once knew, but that's impossible...right? Who is the msterious girl?**

**CHAPTER 7: The Shopping Mall Disaster...**

**THE NEXT MORNING...**

**HOPE'S P.O.V.**

After getting up and getting ready for the day, I went to search for Grandpa and when I finally found him in the basement...

I couldn't believe there was a boat there.

Mama had told me about how she helped him with his boats, but just hearing the stories and actually seeing on his boats...well, that's just two different things.

"Feel better this morning?" Grandpa asked as I reached the last step and I knew he was referring to my nightmare.

"A little I guess. Mama, told me she helped you with your boats when she was little. How do you get it out of here?" I asked and Grandpa laughed. "Everyone is always asking that question. I might tell that secret you later. Are you ready?" Grandpa asked.

"Yeah, I ca..." I began.

"Joanne, is going to pick you up around noon to take you to lunch and then shopping. While you're at NCIS today I don't want you...playing pranks and distracting my team, got it?" Grandpa asked as we walked out the front door.

**THE CAR..**

"I thought Tony was the one who played pranks." I said with a smile.

"Hope, I work in a Federal..." Grandpa said. "A Federal office that could use some laughs sometimes. Besides four people are happier now and they will do a better at their jobs." I pointed out as Grandpa started the car.

**NCIS SQUAD ROOM...**

**A LITTLE WHILE LATER...**

Grandpa and I walked into the squad room as Tony, Tim and Ziva looked up. Tony got a huge smile on his face.

"Hey, Hope, what's..." Tony began.

"Time to work, DiNozzo!" Grandpa and I said at the same time.

This got a laugh out of Tim and Ziva.

"Boss, are you teaching her to be like you?" Tony joked and I smacked the back of his head, making Ziva and Tim laugh harder.

"You're here to work, DiNozzo. Just because what I did yesterday helped the team, that doesn't mean my Grandpa can not change his mind and enforce rule 12." I said standing in front of his desk.

Tony muttered something, before getting back to work. I looked over at Grandpa who was sitting at his desk and glaring at me.

"H..." Grandpa started.

"What? I'm not distracting the team and that's what you would have done. I'm going to see, Abby." I told him, before heading for the elevator.

**ABBY'S LAB...**

I'm sure that the team stayed at the office yesterday, so I'm thinking that my Grandpa will have to take the team out in the field soon.

"I don't have an..." Abby turned around and smiled when she saw that it was me.

"Hey, Abby. I thought I would come down here and hang out for a while if that's okay." I told her. "Of course, you don't even have to ask." Abby replied and I noticed she always seemed to be bouncing off the walls.

Then I remembered something she said yesterday.

"Hey, yesterday at lunch you mentioned a Caf- something...what is that?" I asked and her smile seemed to get bigger.

"A Caf-Pow and it's a really good dr..." Abby began.

"With too much caffeine. How many have you had today, Abby?" Tim asked as he walked into her lab.

"Maybe one or two. Come on, Hope..." Abby said and I noticed sitting in her fridge next to her lunchbox was a cup.

She handed it to me, I took a sip and...

"This is good." I said as Tim groaned.

"Abby, Gibbs is going to..." Tim started.

"Gibbs, won't do anything to me and you know it. Besides, it's a No Caf-Pow. What are you doing here anyway, Tim?" Abby asked him.

"Gibbs, sent me down here to remind Hope of what he told her this morning." Tim replied and Abby looked at me.

"What's that?" She asked.

"That I wouldn't distract the team from work. Grandpa just doesn't realize..." I began, but stopped when I noticed Tim and Abby looking right behind me.

"I don't realize what, Hope?" I heard Grandpa ask from behind me and I turned around taking another sip of my No Caf-Pow.

"That you never told me about Caf-Pows. Besides I got Tony to get back to work on, whatever he was working on when we showed up." I pointed out.

"Abby..." Grandpa began.

"It's a No Caf-Pow, Gibbs. How did you get Tony to get back to work?" Abby asked looking back at me.

"She can tell you later. Right now I know that you and McGee better get to work." Grandpa said and turned to leave the lab.

"Hey, Tim, you can stay down here if you want. I'm going to have fun picking on, To..." I started, because I never did actually promise my Grandpa.

"Hope!" Grandpa called and I smiled as I ran to catch up with him.

**ABBY'S P.O.V.**

Tim and I watched Hope go, then I turned to face Tim.

"So, what are you really doing down here, Timmy?" I asked. "I just came down to work and I told Gibbs, that I would remind Hope of what he told her." Tim replied.

I set to work on finishing some paperwork from a previous case and Tim got to work n the computer. After a minute, I felt him looking over at me, but when I looked up, he was working.

"Hey, McGee? How did Hope get Tony to get back to work?" I asked looking up and he smiled as he looked over at me.

"Tony, started to ask something..." Tim told me about what Gibbs and Hope had said at the same time, Hope giving Tony a head slap and what Hope said to him.

I laughed as I walked over to Tim.

"I've noticed how much alike Gibbs and Hope are, but they never met until yesterday. The smirk, the all knowing she's picking up from him..." I said as I sat down on my stool next to him.

"I don't think rule 12 would have been broken if it were not for, Hope letting it slip about rule 51." Tim stated.

"I think it would have eventually. Gibbs wouldn't have been able to keep Tony and Ziva apart forever." I countered.

"You didn't mention us." Tim pointed out. "No, Timmy, I didn't. Because we're different...we're special and that rule never applied to us." I said giving him a quick kiss, then pulled back.

After that, the two of us got back to work.

**NCIS SQUAD ROOM...  
HOPE'S P.O.V.**

When Grandpa and I had returned to the squad room, Tony and Ziva had been talking. As soon as they saw Grandpa and me, they got back to work. I had taken the elevator this time with Grandpa, my fear was still there, but it didn't seem nearly as strong as it had been yesterday.

I sat at Tim's desk and watched Grandpa pick up the phone and call Abby's lab. I was kind of surprised at what he said, but it was kind of funny to...

He told them the better be working and not playing...grab ass?

When Tony heard what Grandpa told Abby or Tim, he just smiled over at Ziva who smiled back at him. Then the two of them got back to work.

Finally, after the hours seemed to drag by, my stomach growled and I realized it had to be close to lunchtime. Tim was still down in Abby's lab and I was still sitting at Tim's desk when my Great-Grandma Joanne was escorted into the squad room.

'Yup, time for lunch and shopping.'

I had a bad feeling about something though...

A feeling that told me something was about to happen either at lunch or shopping.

**IN THE CAR...**

When Great-Grandma Joanne said that we were going to the mall, my feeling just got worse.

So many things could go wrong...

Two NCIS Agents sat in the front seats, as Great-Grandma sat behind the passenger's seat and I sat behind the driver's seat. Grandpa had sent a few NCIS Agents with us for protection and I knew he had the same feeling I did.

Things had been good in the last 24 hours and now I just had a feeling something was going to happen...

**THE MALL...**

As we walked in the doors and made our way to the food court...

I looked around at all of the exits and tried to make an escape plan. Over the years as my mama and I were held captive, we had watched...waiting for a chance to escape. Finally, the day had come and we had escaped. Now everywhere I went I always looked around making an escape plan.

It was then I saw something and knew I had been right...my captors had found me.

"We have to get out..." I began, as I grabbed my Great-Grandma's hand and tried to run.

Then everything started to happen so fast...

The two NCIS Agents had their guns out and yelled at the men to drop their guns...

Chaos as people in the food court began to scramble to get out of the way...

Gunshots...

The two NCIS Agents falling to the ground...

I didn't know what I was doing as I picked up the gun of one of the fallen Agents. I had never used one before, but I had to stop my captors from getting me. I pulled the trigger...

Killing three of the captors and injuring one. The someone in a uniform got the gun away from the captor, as others in the same uniform checked on the other three captors I knew had to be dead.

There didn't seem to be anymore coming after me now. Someone was trying to take the gun from my hand.

"Let it go...its okay." Said a voice and I looked at the security guard.

I let her take the gun and turned to see the two NCIS Agents who had come with my Great-Grandma Joanne and me...gunshots to the chest and I knew they had to be dead.

Great-Grandma Joanne laying there unconscious, as someone put pressure to the wound in her shoulder.

The women putting the pressure to the wound on Great-Grandma Joanne's shoulder looked like someone...but I couldn't figure out whom.

Almost at the same time the paramedics arrived, so did the police, NCIS and even the FBI.

I watched almost numbly as Grandpa made his way over to where I was now sitting beside, Great-Grandma Joanne. I watched as the paramedics worked on Great-Grandma.

"Hope...Hope, are you okay?" Grandpa asked putting his arms around me.

"Hey, Agent Gibbs." Said the women who had been putting the pressure on Great-Grandma's shoulder.

"Sarah? What are you doing here?" It was Tim, who had just made his way over.

"I was having lunch, until..." Sarah stopped, when I started to talk.

"Until I...th...killed...agents..." The words were coming out in a jumble as I tried to talk.

"Sarah, we're going to..." Grandpa began.

"I know, my statement since I was a witness. Are you okay?" Sarah asked looking at me, but I couldn't find my voice.

Then looking from her to Tim, I knew they were related. I couldn't say anything and I didn't think I could move. Everything had happened so fast and I couldn't seem to catch up. I was far from okay though...

Two NCIS Agents had been shot and knew they were dead. Because Ducky and his assistant made their way over to the agents and were now putting them in body bags.

"Hope...Hope!" Grandpa was calling me and I looked at him, then everything seemed to hit me again...harder.

I started to cry and just couldn't stop.


	8. Hope's Story

**NCIS:**

**A SUPRISE FROM...MEXICO**

**Disclaimer: NCIS and characters from the show do not belong to me. **

**Summary: A mysterious girl no older then 12 shows up at NCIS to see, Gibbs. She looks so much like a little girl Gibbs once knew, but that's impossible...right? Who is the msterious girl?**

**CHAPTER 8: HOPE'S STORY...**

**THE HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM...**

**HOPE'S P.O.V.**

Because of me...

My mama is dead...  
Great-Grandma Joanne might die...

Great-Grandma Joanne, had been rushed to surgery to remove the bullet. I heard bits of the conversations...

Now we sit in the waiting room and just wait any news that is still to come.

I see Ducky in front of me and his lips are moving, but I can't seem to understand what he is saying...

I have not said a word since we left the food court. Looking around at the team, I notice everyone is here...

Tony, Ziva, Abby, Tim and even the women named, Sarah.

They all seemed to be watching, as if waiting for something. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a doctor enter the waiting room. Everyone looked at him and whatever the doctor says...I see the doctor smile a little bit.

"I'm going to find out..." Grandpa began and I realized I could hear him.

"Paloma Reynosa...af-after her father was ki-killed." I say and at the mention of the name, the room becomes tense.

"Hope? What do you know?" Grandpa asked me.

"No-not here." I said and Grandpa nodded.

"Then we'll go back to NCIS. Your Great-Grandma Joanne is going to be fine." Grandpa tells me and I get up to follow him.

I knew that the team was following us. We all headed for several cars.

Tim and Abby getting a ride with Sarah...  
Tony, Ziva, Grandpa and I in another car...  
Ducky and Palmer in the last one...

**NCIS HEADQUATERS...**

**CONFERNCE ROOM...**

It was a little over half an hour later when we walked into a conference room at NCIS. A man was sitting at the head of the table.

There was no objection as Abby sat down next to Tim...  
I sat down next to Abby...  
Then Grandpa sat down next to me...  
Ducky next to Grandpa..

Then finally...

Ziva and Tony...

When Grandpa asked Ducky to sit in on the conference I knew he was thinking about how difficult it would be for the story I had to tell them.

"Hope, this is Leon Vance...the Director of NCIS. Leon this is my granddaughter, Hope." Grandpa said introducing me to the man who sat at the other end of the table.

"Gibbs, what is this about?" Director Vance inquired. "As you know Hope turned up here yesterday..." Grandpa went on to tell him...

About how my mama and Grandma Shannon had not been killed a little over twenty years ago like everyone thought...

How they had been held captive...

"Until about..." Then I knew it was time to start my story.

I took a deep breath and began to tell what I had been told by mama and my story...

"_A-about six days ago when my mama and I escaped from where they were holding us in Mexico._

_I knew from what I've heard that everyone believed my mama and Grandma Shannon dead._

_Pedro Herndez faked the deaths of my mama and Grandma...he took them hostage instead. It was not long after that he was killed. Even under his orders, my mama and Grandma Shannon were held captive. No one could understand why he never killed them._

_Just a few years ago, I learned that the two people who continued to hold my mama and Grandma Shannon captive were:_

_Alejandro Rivera and his sister, Paloma Reynosa._

_Over the years, my mama and Grandma Shannon were tortured. They had each other and had tried to escape several times each time was unsuccessful._

_When my mama was fifteen the people holding them captive came into the room again and Grandma Shannon had put up a fight to protect my mama._

_Grandma Shannon threw herself between the guard and my mama, but the guard grabbed her and pulled her away._

_I heard about my Grandma Shannon being shot and killed, then my mama wa-was ra-raped._

_My mama told me how she felt so sick after what they had done to her and had almost given up...she wanted to die._

_Then she found out she was pregnant with me..._

_Due to stress and a lot of other things..._

_I was born weeks earlier then I should have been and somehow survived. That's when my mama said she found hope again and that's why she named me, Hope._

_My mama taught me everything she could..._

_To read, write and how to be watchful of the door. As I listened, I began to pick up on the Spanish and learned what the people holding us captive were saying. We never let them know that I had learned Spanish and it became useful to us._

_I heard about when Paloma had been killed by Alejandro a little less then two years ago when I was almost ten. Still, my mama and I continued to be held captive, but I had a feeling that the time for us to escape was getting close._

_She told me one day we would escape and when we did..._

_We had to get to Washington D.C. and find Leroy Jethro Gibbs._

_All my life I had heard stories of what my mama could remember from her first eight years of her life, before her and Grandma Shannon had been captured._

_Then finally, mama and I escaped...  
We ran, but ma-mama was shot..._

_She told me I had to ke-keep going. I ran and I ran until I was tired, hungry and thirsty. I came to a road._

_A car was coming and at first, I was afraid, before I realized the couple in the car were Americans._

_The couple introduced themselves as Billie and Ted Cooper._

_I was still afraid to trust them at first, but knew I had to try to get to Washington D.C._

_I told them enough so they would help me. I guess I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I remember was the women, Billie Cooper was shaking me to wake me up._

_She told me I had fallen asleep before she could give me anything to eat or drink, at the same time she handed me a bottle of water and a sandwich._

_We had crossed the Mexican border a few hours before, they wanted to make sure we were out of Mexico, before getting on a plane to Washington D.C._

_We reached an airport an hour and a half later, then after two and a half hours we boarded the plane._

_Finally, we arrived in Washington D.C. and at first, I couldn't believe that I had made it as far as I had. Billie took me to get a few changes of clothes and other things I needed. Everything fit into my backpack._

_Ted met up with us again and after finding a motel, the three of us went to dinner. After dinner, we went back to the motel._

_I took a shower..._

_Now I was cleaner, but also exhausted._

_I laid down on one of the two beds and knew I would start my search for my Grandfather in the morning._

_I pulled out a picture my mama had given to me. One of her when with, my Grandma Shannon and my Grandpa. As I looked at the picture, I started to cry._

_I kept wondering why this couple was helping...when they didn't even know me._

_I had asked, Billie and she had told me:_

_'Because you needed help and that's what her and Ted did.'_

_I was still confused._

_For the first time in my life, I felt safe. Even though Billie and Ted were strangers...I just had a sense that I could trust them. As I listened to Billie and Ted, I realized I was falling asleep._

_The next morning when I woke up, Billie and Ted were not in the motel room. I was alone._

_Then I saw a note that said they had found Leroy Jethro Gibbs and he worked for NCIS._

_I don't know how they found him._

_By the note was some money for a cab and the address for NCIS. After getting ready, I put everything in my backpack, called a cab and..._

Everyone knows the rest." I said finishing my story.

Now my throat was dry and sore, as I fought a lump that had formed sometime during the story.

I took the bottle in front of me and took a long drink.

"Alejandro...he invited me to that Law Enforcement..." Abby began and hear the anger in her voice, though she looked as if she was fighting back tears of her own.

"I know, Abby, but we didn't know at the time." Tim said with his arm around her.

I was leaning against my Grandpa, exhausted after everything that had happened today.

"What ab..." Director Vance began.

"Sarah McGee and plenty of other people can tell you what happened today in that food court, Leon." Grandpa said and Director Vance looked at Grandpa, before getting up to leave the conference room.


	9. Hope's Flashback

**NCIS:**

**A SUPRISE FROM...MEXICO**

**Disclaimer: NCIS and characters from the show do not belong to me. **

**Summary: A mysterious girl no older then 12 shows up at NCIS to see, Gibbs. She looks so much like a little girl Gibbs once knew, but that's impossible...right? Who is the msterious girl?**

**CHAPTER 9: HOPE'S FLASHBACK...**

**THE CONFERENCE ROOM...**

**HOPE'S P.O.V.**

I was beginning to feel numb once again as everything began to sink in...

This wasn't a nightmare that I could wake up from.

I wanted to wake up though and see my mama. I looked around...

Tony and Ziva across from me...  
Sarah from the food court came in the conference room and was now talking to Tim and Abby...

I felt like the room around me was beginning to darken...

'No! This couldn't be happening again!'

_**FLASHBACK **_

_**I was as close to the wall as I could get...I was scared and couldn't move. The guard hit my mama and she fell to the ground. As he came near me, my mama put out her leg and tripped him...he only stumbled. The feeling came back in my legs and I began to move along the wall.**_

_**"You're not going anywhere near my daughter!" Mama yelled and getting up the best she could...she gave him a kick between the legs.**_

_**He pushed her to the ground again... **_

_**END FLASHBACK**_

**ABBY'S P.O.V.**

It happened so fast...

I watched as Hope pushed herself out of Gibbs arms and moved over to the wall getting as close as she could. Her eyes were wide and terrified, as the tears fell down her face.

She seemed to be watching something, then she began to move along the wall...

"Hope!" Gibbs called, but got no reaction.

Then Hope fell against the wall and sliding down, she wrapped her arms around her knees. Gibbs was in front of her and so was Ducky...

She didn't know that she was at NCIS or that she was safe.

Ducky and Gibbs were the only two talking as they tried to get Hope's attention.

It was almost fifteen minutes later that Hope began to look around, the fear not leaving her eyes...but she looked around at all of us.

"Sor..." Hope began as she wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hands.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, my dear." Ducky told her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Gibbs asked her and Hope just shook her head.

"No...I-I want to forget about it." Hope told him.

"I know, but keeping it inside won't help." Gibbs told her.

"Jethro, I have someone who might be able to help..." Ducky said and I felt Tim take my hand, then give it a tug.

When I looked at him, he nodded toward the door and I got the message. Tony and Ziva were already making their way out the door. With Sarah in front of us, Tim and I followed.

Tony and Ziva sat at their desk, Sarah sat at Tim's desk. Therefore, Tim and I stood between his desk and Tony's.

We were waiting and I was not the only one who looked furious at what Hope had been through, as well as the rest of her family.

**A FEW MINUTES LATER...**

"Thanks, Duck. Come on, Hope. We'll swing by the hospital to see your Great-Grandma Joanne and then we'll head home. Tony..." Gibbs began. "Yeah, boss?" Tony said as we all looked from Gibbs to Hope.

Gibbs explained that Tony would be Team Leader for the next few days. Therefore, Gibbs could take some time off.

Hope did not say a word as she stood beside Gibbs. She looked far from the happy, mischief-maker that she had been yesterday. Gibbs could hide what he was feeling well, but Hope...

She still looked terrified, sad, exhausted and maybe a little in shock.

I walked over to Hope and gave her a hug, but she just stood there not moving for a moment and then I felt her hug me back. When I pulled away after a minute, the tears were in her eyes again.

I was amazed at how strong Hope seemed to be after all she had been through. She had survived and I knew that Gibbs was glad for that.

I think the entire team is glad that she came into our lives.

"Come on, Hope." Gibbs said again, putting his arm around her and we all watched as the two left.


	10. Shopping And Learning

**NCIS:**

**A SUPRISE FROM...MEXICO**

**Disclaimer: NCIS and characters from the show do not belong to me. **

**Summary: A mysterious girl no older then 12 shows up at NCIS to see, Gibbs. She looks so much like a little girl Gibbs once knew, but that's impossible...right? Who is the msterious girl?**

**CHAPTER 10: ANOTHER SHOPPING TRIP AND LEARNING...**

**GIBBS'S HOUSE...**

**HOPE'S P.O.V.**

Grandpa and I gotten had gone to visit Great-Grandma Joanne, then grabbed some lunch on the way home. That was about two this afternoon, but I told him I wasn't hungry. After telling my story...

I just couldn't eat.

Grandpa asked if I wanted to help with his boat, but I told him I just wanted to be alone for a while.

Therefore, Grandpa went to work on his boat, while I came up to my room and locked the door.

Ducky had given Grandpa a phone number for a friend...another doctor. There is no way I'm going to spill my guts to a complete stranger. I had been doing enough of that over the last few days.

Sure, I was getting to know the team...but it had only been a little over a day.

I am now sitting on my bed with my back against the wall and trying to understand everything that has happened in the past couple of days.

A few minutes ago, I heard the front door and some voices...

I almost jumped when there was a knock at my bedroom door. I am not in the mood really to see anyone, but I decided I might as well see who it is.

When I opened the door, I saw my Grandpa standing there.

"You feeling any better, Hope?" Grandpa asked.

"Fine..." I began.

"Don't lie to me." Grandpa said and then I guess I sort of lost it.

"What do you want to me say, Grandpa? I'm not weak, okay? I'm not a baby!" I shouted at him.

"Not being okay...does not make you weak and no one thinks of you as a baby, Hope. You can't be okay all the time..." Grandpa stated.

"Sorry...I thought I heard the front door." I replied wanting to change the subject.

"Abby and Ziva wanted to see if you want to go shopping. So you can get the things you didn't get with your Great-Grandma Joanne." Grandpa replied and I just looked at him.

"Are you serious? What if the same thing happens again? N..." I started.

"We'll protect you, Hope." Came Ziva's voice and then she came into view.

"How? Those two Agents with Great-Grandma and I were killed." I pointed out.

"Because I worked for Mossad and know many different ways to kill someone, before they can lay a toe on you." Ziva stated and I couldn't help it...when I felt a small smile.

"Don't you mean finger?" I questioned.

"Finger...toe, still a part of the body, yes?" Ziva asked with a shrug.

"Abby, can kill someone and leave no forensic evidence." Came Tim's voice and I looked as Tim, Abby and finally Tony came into view.

'These were Federal Agents and they were talking about getting away with...murder? Who were these people?'

"Hope?" It was Grandpa again.

I looked from Grandpa, then to each member of the team and knew they would do anything to protect me.

"Why w..." I began.

"Because we're a family, Hope and families protect each other." Grandpa told me and I felt myself giving in.

"Okay, is everyone going to be there?" I inquired, though I was already pretty sure I knew the answer.

"Yup, we'll all be there. Ziva and Abby can take you shopping...it will be different this time." Grandpa stated again and I knew, he could still see the look of doubt on my face.

So the six of us left, making our way outside and taking two cars...we began our journey to the mall.

**THE MALL...**

When we walked through the doors of the mall...I began to feel the panic as I remembered earlier. Still scared the same thing might happen again.

Abby and Ziva led me to a clothing store. I saw out of the corner of my eye that Grandpa, Tony and Tim stayed where I could see them...but at the same time kept their distance.

They made sure I knew they were still close by.

"Hope, you know you can talk to us, right?" Abby asked and I knew this had to be a part of what they had talked to Grandpa about, before they had come up to see if I wanted to go shopping.

"No...I can't. I don't know h..." I began.

"I know what you are going through and how hard it is." Ziva remarked and when I looked at her, she had a sort of haunted look on her face.

"How can you possibly know what I've been through?" I inquired.

"Because I worked for Mossad..." Ziva began.

"Mossad?" I asked, I had heard her say it earlier to, but I didn't know what it was.

"Yes, I'm from Israel and Mossad is...Israeli National Intelligence Agency." Ziva said and then continued.

"My father is the Director of Mossad and a few years ago I was sent on a mission. A ship I was on went down near the Horn of Africa. I made my way to Somalia and was captured. I was held for so long...I-I do not know how long. Everyday I was beaten and worse, then finally after what I guess had to be months...they came to me and put a bag over my he-head...I-I thought they were finally going to kill me. They began leading me somewhere and when they took the bag off my head...I was looking at Tony. I had not seen him or anyone from, Mossad or NCIS for a long time and I thought I had to be dreaming. Gibbs, Tony and McGee had come to res-rescue me. I di-didn't think I deserved it, after everything I had been through." Ziva said as she closed her eyes and I could tell she was trying to stop tears.

I then understood what my Grandpa had told me earlier. No matter how strong you try to make everyone believe you are, it was still okay to lean on others when you needed to.

I knew that if she went through that and probably more...she had to be a strong person. My Grandpa and NCIS family were obviously made of strong people. I looked realized I was looking at her in shock of what she had just told me.

I watched as Abby put her arms around Ziva in a hug.

Then Grandpa, Tony and Tim were walking toward us. Abby only let go of Ziva, when Ziva turned to Tony.

"What happened?" Grandpa asked.

"It's...its okay, Gibbs. I was just explaining to, Hope, that I had been through something similar. I told her a little about Somalia." Ziva explained.

"Let's get this shopping over with and get out of here." I suggested and everyone agreed.

"Hope?" Grandpa asked as we began to walk into yet another store and I looked at him.

"What?" I asked and he seemed to hesitate.

"Do you have any idea when your birthday is?" Grandpa asked and I stopped to think for a second.

"Nov-November 13th. I heard the guards talking about it once. I'll be th-thirteen." I replied and Grandpa put an arm over my shoulders.

"We'll try to do something special." He told me.

After that, I got lost in my own thoughts and tried to think how to put into words what I could remember.

After we finished shopping...Tony, who I noticed had sort of an over grown kid attitude suggested a movie night at Grandpa's house.

I rode back in Abby's car with Abby and Ziva, while Tony and Tim rode back with Grandpa.

It was Thursday night and tomorrow it would be five days since I had lost my mother, crossed the Mexican border, found my Grandpa and his extended NCIS family.

"Hope..." Came Abby's voice and I came out of my thoughts. "You're home..." She told me.

I got out of Abby's car, as Tim, Tony and Grandpa got out of Grandpa's car. Tony said something with a huge smile that earned him a head slap. I don't know what he said though...

We made our way into the house and Tony put in a movie. After that, he sat down in front of the couch with his arm around, Ziva. Tim sat down in a chair with his arm around Abby. As I sat next to Grandpa on the couch.


	11. Keeping A Diary Six Months Later

**NCIS:**

**A SUPRISE FROM...MEXICO**

**Disclaimer: NCIS and characters from the show do not belong to me. **

**Summary: A mysterious girl no older then 12 shows up at NCIS to see, Gibbs. She looks so much like a little girl Gibbs once knew, but that's impossible...right? Who is the msterious girl?**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: The underlined portion of this chapter is what is written in Hope's diary.**

**CHAPTER 11: SIX MONTHS AND KEEPING A DIARY...**

**NOVEMBER 13th...**

**A LITTLE OVER SIX MONTHS LATER...**

**HOPE'S P.O.V.**

It's been a little over six months now since I crossed the Mexican border and all the events that followed after that.

We never did hear or find the Billie and Ted Cooper. I'm still wondering what happened to them. Sometimes I wonder if they were even real or if I imagined them.

I finally agreed to see the doctor that Ducky recommended to my Grandpa. I keep reminding everyone I'm not crazy though.

Dr. O'Neal told my Grandpa and I that I have:

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

When Dr. O'Neal said that I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes and saying:

'Really? You go through what I did and then not walk away without some sort of side affect.'

I have been sleeping a little better now then I have in my entire life, but I still have trouble sometimes. So Dr. O'Neal gave me some medicine to help me sleep.

I feel a lot safer with my Grandpa and then you have to include my NCIS family. I mean look at what they can do if someone ever tried to hurt me.

I now my Great-Grandma Joanne who has recovered from getting shot in the shoulder that day at the mall...

My Great Grandpa Jackson Gibbs whom I met about five months ago...

Then you add my NCIS family...

Tony, Ziva, Abby, Tim, Tim's sister (Sarah) and even to everyone's surprise Director Vance and his family, Ducky, Jimmy and Breena Palmer...

They may not all be blood related...but you know what? You don't have to be related by blood to be a family.

So, I don't think anyone is going to attempt to mess with me again.

My Great-Grandpa Jackson has come to visit a few times and I have been to the town where he lives a few times. It's not a bad place...

Dr. O'Neal suggested I start to keep a sort of journal and when I asked what language, she just smiled at me and said...

'Any language you like, Hope. You don't have to show it to anyone.'

I wanted to say there are only so many words to the language I wanted to use...

Not words I would use with adults around, but when I looked over at Grandpa, he glared at me.

*Does he really think that glare works on ME? He's my Grandfather and may have invented that glare, but I'm related to him and it doesn't work...when I can glare right back at him. *

After another few minutes of talking to Dr. O'Neal, we left.

Three and a half months ago in August:

Tim and Abby got married (Anyone who isn't blind could have seen that one coming.)

Then on the same day:

Tony and Ziva got married

I heard my Grandpa say something at the reception about, 'how he had seen this coming for a long time before I had come to live with him.'

Sarah and I both got to be part of the weddings. I may be the youngest of the NCIS family...well, for now anyway. I tried to get Grandpa, Ducky and Palmer to make a bet with me about who was going to announce the first baby of the next generation.

Sarah told me that she thought Tim and Abby would have announced it years ago. Instead Abby had broken up with, Tim.

No one seems to want to take my bet, but there is a pool going around the office. Grandpa took away my fun when he put out a warning that no one had better let me in on the pool.

The main vote is it will be Tim and Abby first.

One night after the second shopping attempt to get me everything, Tony had suggested a movie night...

Then after that it became a Friday night thing.

Tim, Abby, Ziva, Ducky, Jimmy and Breena all come over on Friday nights now and we have a movie night.

For the past two months though Tim and Abby have been making excuses not to come.

I know Tim and Abby are married now, but we used to be able to count on them coming.

Mr. movies and free food, Tony DiNozzo never misses a night though.

Anyway, I came to live with my Grandpa around June 4th or at least that's what the day they told me it was. My Grandpa became my legal guardian and since then no one has tried to come after me.

The one guy I injured after killing the other three confessed:

That he and the other three had been told if anything happened to Paloma Reynosa or Alejandro Rivera to kill mama and I.

Thinking back I remember there always seemed to be one guard that seemed uneasy about me getting hurt.

He always had this look on his face when he looked at mama and made sure I was able to stay with her no matter what.

I had a flashback about six months ago...

_**A guard had come after me and my mama fought to keep him away from me.**_

_**The guard hit mama and she fell to the ground. As he came near me, my mama stuck out her leg and tripped him...but he only stumbled.**_

_**I felt the feeling come back into my legs and I began to move along the wall.**_

_**"You're not going to near my daughter!" Mama yelled and getting up the best she could...she gave him a kick between the legs.**_

_**He pushed her to the ground again, but never got a chance to hurt her. Because the one guard that made sure I always stayed with mama came in.**_

_**In a way that one guard always seemed to protect mama and I. I always wondered if he could be my father. Because I had heard him say so many times when he looked at my mama how sorry he was...**_

_**Then there was a way he looked at me, it was the same look that Grandpa had when he looked at pictures of my mama.**_

Then I would start to wonder...

If he always made sure I stayed with mama...

Why didn't he help us to escape?

The day mama and I escaped, I saw another one of the guards shoot and kill him. If mama and I wouldn't have escaped that day...we both would have died. As it turned out though...

My mama did die that day.

I am now a legal United States citizen. I was born and spent my first 12 years in Mexico.

Once it was official...

I started to study hard so I could go to school I surprised a lot of people of how quick I learned.

When school started back in September I was put in a special class.

I am having a little trouble with some English, spelling and math.

But I'm getting better at school.

I looked up from my desk where I had been writing in my diary, when I heard a knock at the door.

It was my Grandpa...


	12. Birthday, Surprises And Some News

**NCIS:**

**A SUPRISE FROM...MEXICO**

**Disclaimer: NCIS and characters from the show do not belong to me. **

**Summary: A mysterious girl no older then 12 shows up at NCIS to see, Gibbs. She looks so much like a little girl Gibbs once knew, but that's impossible...right? Who is the msterious girl?**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: The underlined portion of this chapter is what is written in Hope's diary.**

**CHAPTER 12: HOPE'S BIRTHDAY, A SURPRISE AND SOME NEWS...**

**HOPE'S P.O.V.**

"Hey, the team and everyone else are here. Are you ready to come downstairs?" Grandpa asked and I got up to follow him downstairs.

I was having my first birthday party today.

Jimmy and Breena Palmer, Abby, Tim, Sarah McGee, Tony, Ziva, Great-Grandpa Jackson, Great-Grandma Joanne and Ducky, as well as some kids I knew from school had all found places to sit around the waiting room.

Cara Wilson, Andrew Collins, Justin Garrett, Kevin Larson, Ryan Kendall, Gracie Martin, Kyla Lewis...

Then there was also Blake and Charlie Marshal. Blake and Charlie were identical twins always playing pranks and making sure the teachers couldn't tell them apart. They reminded me a lot of Tony, making me wonder, if they were somehow related.

"Hey, ev..." I stopped and my eyes widened in shock at the sight of all the presents sitting in the middle of the floor.

I had never been able to celebrate my birthday and now...

Well, there was presents and cake. I sat down next to the presents with Grandpa sitting down on the couch that was just behind me. I started to reach for the first present, but stopped and looked back at Grandpa.

"It's all for you, Hope." Was all he said and I picked up the first gift...

It was from Tim and Abby; I ripped off the paper and opened the box. In the box were a couple of photo albums. I opened the first one and once my eyes landed on the page, I felt tears...

"Tim had a program we used a few years ago to find the identity of someone. So, we asked you Grandpa to see if he could give us some pictures of what your mom looked like up until she was kidnapped. Then we used those pictures to determine what she might have looked like and we did the same with a picture we took of you." Abby told me as I looked at was a picture of what was supposed to be me as a newborn with my mama.

I still cried about my mama every now and then, but not as much as I did those first few weeks after she was killed.

I began to flip through the pages looking at picture of picture.

One of: Me, Grandpa, Great-Grandpa Jackson, Great-Grandma Joanne and another one of Mama and Grandma Shannon

Another picture with:

Grandpa, Ducky, Tony, Ziva, Tim, Abby and Palmer.

Then I laughed, because I couldn't believe someone had taken a picture and no one knew...

A picture of the day I told Tony and Ziva about rule 51. Me, Grandpa, Ducky, Tim, Abby, Tony and Ziva all in the squad room laughing as I held up Grandpa's cell phone.

By the time I looked through all of the pictures I felt the tears rolling down my face, but didn't care at this point who saw me crying.

I looked at the last picture in the album and then looked at Grandpa; I could tell he was trying not to cry...

The last picture was the one I had given him that day. However, he had given it back to me, saying that he had a copy.

The picture of my mama as an eight-year-old, standing with Grandma Shannon and Grandpa.

"Th-thank you." I finally managed as I got up to give them each a hug. "I'm sorry, we couldn't tell you, but that's why Tim and I haven't been coming to movie nights." Abby confessed, before she let me go.

Opening the other presents I got:

A locket with a picture of my mama...from Great-Grandma Joanne  
My own NCIS hat and jacket...Grandpa

I got other clothes as well, but I loved the jacket and hat...

Another diary since the one I had was almost filled...Jimmy and Breena Palmer  
Pens and notebooks...From Ducky

Even though I had my diary, I loved to write stories. Once everyone heard how I loved to tell stories, they started to encourage me to write them down.

That's just most of what I had gotten. After my presents were, open and I had thanked everyone...

Still not believing that this was the best birthday I had ever celebrated so far.

It was finally time for the cake and that's when I saw something that I couldn't help, but smile about.

It seemed many people at NCIS were right...

When the cake was brought in...Abby took off running toward the bathroom. I looked at Grandpa and we smiled, because we had figured out a week ago that Abby seemed to be pregnant.

A few minutes later, she came back again and sat back down next to, Tim.

"Morning sickness, Abs?" Grandpa muttered with a smirk and she looked at him, before taking Tim's hand.

"Just waiting on telling everyone so we don't spoil Hope's birthday." Abby whispered back.

"Spoil my birthday? Are you kidding? Just tell everyone, it wouldn't spoil anything!" I told her.

"Hope..." Abby began.

"Please just tell them." I said and Abby looked at Tim.

"All right. If you're sure it won't spoil your birthday..." Abby said at last.

"Hey, everyone Abby and Tim have an announcement!" I shouted getting everyone's attention.

"Abby and I are..." Tim began.

"I'm pregnant!" Abby announced.

"Abigail, Timothy, what wonderful news. Congratulations." Ducky told them.

"I told you they would be the first to announce they were having a baby. Especially since McGoo..." Tony began.

"I wouldn't finish that sentence, Tony. Do I need to remind you...?" Abby began.

"No, I'm happy for you." Tony replied going over to give her a hug.

"So, what about you and Ziva?" Abby inquired.

"Still talking about it." Tony answered.

The afternoon wore on and eventually everyone left...leaving only me, Grandpa, Great-Grandpa Jackson and Great-Grandma Joanne.

Great-Grandpa Jackson would be headed back to Stillwater in a few days. But had come to celebrate my birthday with everyone.

**LATER THAT NIGHT...**

I climbed into bed exhausted and covered up. Grandpa Gibbs and Great-Grandpa Jackson had already said goodnight.

After one final look around my room at everything, I had gotten. I couldn't believe that it had been six months since I had come to live here and discovered a bigger family then I ever imagined having.

I felt the tears again and let them fall, but for once they were not tears of complete sadness...

The tears that I was crying now, were a mixture of happiness and sadness.

I was happy about finding my Grandparents and my extended NCIS family...

However, I was also sad that I had lost my mama.

I was in a safe place now and with that last thought, I felt my eyes growing heavy...


	13. Epilogue: The End Of Hope's Story

**NCIS:**

**A SUPRISE FROM...MEXICO**

**Disclaimer: NCIS and characters from the show do not belong to me. **

**Summary: A mysterious girl no older then 12 shows up at NCIS to see, Gibbs. She looks so much like a little girl Gibbs once knew, but that's impossible...right? Who is the msterious girl?**

**CHAPTER 13: EPILOGUE: THE END OF HOPE'S STORY...**

**ELEVEN MONTHS...**

**TWO DAYS AND ONE WEEK LATER...**

**HOPE'S P.O.V.**

It's been a little over a year since I came to live with my Grandpa Leroy Jethro Gibbs and my 14th birthday is next month.

On June 8th at 14: 45 (2: 45 PM, I'm beginning to learn military time.)

Caitlin Penelope McGee was born.

I was told that the names Caitlin and Penelope are special names to Tim and Abby.

Caitlin was after NCIS Agent Caitlin Todd...who was Abby's best friend, before she was killed.

Penelope was after Tim's grandmother. She had been killed when another car spun out of control and hit her.

Then just one week ago on:

October 15th at 18: 20 (8: 20 PM)

Talia Rivka DiNozzo had been born.

Ziva said they named her after Ziva's sister and mother who died.

Then there was six month old, Cole Palmer who was in his mother's arms.

Now the whole family :

Ducky, Grandpa and Jimmy and Breena Palmer. Tim and Abby who was holding baby Kate, Sarah McGee, Tony and Ziva who was holding Talia were all sitting together like we did every Friday night.

First dinner, then movies and just talking. I was finally home and as I looked around, I smiled at my new family.

**THE END**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**I would like to thank Callen37 for editing each chapter for me and helping me to fix mistakes.**

**This was just the start of the stories I am editing...**


End file.
